Issue 002

April 2005

September 9^th 1994

The American Dream

UFC 3 – Charlotte

North Carolina - At the Grady Cole Convention Center – United States of America

KEITH HACKNEY

Hackney began training in wrestling and boxing in his youth during the late 70s. He continued with the traditional Korean martial arts of Tae Kwon Do and Tang Soo Do while in the armed forces, earning second degree black belts in both styles. Keith took up White Tiger Kempo in 1992-the system he represented in the UFC-and holds a third degree black belt in the art. The Roselle, Illinois, native is currently running Hackney's Combat Academy and had one of his students (Gideon Ray) fight in the octagon for the first time at UFC 51.

EMMANUEL YARBOROUGH

Sumo wrestler Emmanuel Yarborough was placed second in the 1992 World Sumo Wrestling Championships and third at the 1990 US Judo Nationals. He was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1999 as 'the world's heaviest living athlete' weighing in at 704 pounds but competed in UFC 3 at 616 lbs. Art Davie - the Sephamore Entertainment Group (SEG) matchmaker-had pursued the 6'8" New Jersey native for some time after he had seen him compete in a sumo tournament. 'Manny' wasn't really a fighter but he was eventually convinced to participate in the event.

The Tournament

The Hackney/Yarborough bout was the first of the quarter-final match-ups at UFC 3. Keith Hackney beat Yarborough but could not advance to the semi-finals due to injury. He would return to UFC 4 and to the Ultimate Ultimate 1995 Tournament of Champions, Ken Shamrock made short work of judo stylist Christophe Leininger, defeating him with strikes. Shamrock advanced to the semi-finals and defeated boxer Felix Lee Mitchell with a rear choke but withdrew from the final due to injury. Speculation that Shamrock pulled out because he would not meet Royce Gracie in the final of the tournament was also a popular theory.

Harold Howard pummeled Roland Payne and knocked him out with a falling hammer fist in under a minute. Howard would also score a win over Royce Gracie via TKO due to the fact Gracie entered the cage but did not fight. The Canadian advanced to the final but was upset by Oklahoma police officer and Ninjitsu practitioner Steve Jennum. He made good on his only opportunity of the night, submitting Howard with strikes in less than 90 seconds and took home a cheque for $60,000.

The Luck of the Draw

Like most competitors, Hackney sent in his application from the back of Black Belt Magazine. He was told they were impressed with his skills but the next card was already full. Keith got a call from Art Davie four days before the event but initially thought it was his brother playing a joke. As it turned out, Hackney replaced a sumo wrestler named Roger Therriault, who had pulled out of the tournament with a chipped elbow. Hackney defeated a future UFC participant, Pa Qua-Chan stylist Thomas Ramirez (UFC 8), in a sparring match in a North Carolina Gym just days earlier to get into the tournament. The fighters were matched up in a blind draw. Obviously someone had to get the giant and Hackney was the 'lucky' fellow. Yarborough, confident his size and perceived imperviousness to pain would carry him through, had not been training his striking seriously and planned to take 'some punishment' en route to a tournament victory.

The Crack Heard 'Round the World

As the bout began, Hackney circled backwards and tried to keep the giant at bay with a front-leg side kick. The proverbial 'immovable object' hardly flinched as he continued to move forward with his hands up. As Hackney continued to circle, he threw a palm strike that struck the giant on the top of the head and sent him to the canvas. Stunned but with his wits intact, Yarborough took one punch and then seized Hackney's leg, pulling him to the mat. With the giant behind him, Hackney kept his hand up to block most of the strikes and eventually worked his way back to his feet.

Don't Fence Me In

They battled on, with Yarborough striking from one knee and Hackney attempting a double thumb-choke from his feet. The giant regained his footing and shoved Hackney through the locked octagon gate. Sporting a ripped shirt but looking none the worse for wear, Hackney re-entered the octagon and took his place on the other side of the cage.

Bang Your Head

The Kempo stylist attempted a series of open-handed swipes to the face and low-leg strikes but Yarborough avoided the hands and shrugged off the kicks. They circled, and appeared to be jawing at each other (unless Emmanuel was just chewing on his mouthpiece) until a sloppy side kick caught the giant. Though it appeared the fight might turn in Yarborough's favour, it actually signaled the beginning of the end. Hackney struck and struck and struck. From uppercuts to the face to hammer fists to the back of the skull, Hackney brought Yarborough down to the ground and kept him there.

Jack has Nuthin' on this Giant Killer

At 1:59 of the first round and 41 unanswered punches later, the battle was over. Keith Hackney advanced to the semi-finals but had broken two metacarpal bones in his right hand in the process and had to withdraw from the tournament. The battle earned him the nickname 'The Giant Killer', and this classic bout was the inspiration for the 'David vs Goliath' tournament that would take place at UFC 8.

Let's Have A Word With Our Winner?

In a bizarre twist, commentator and Hollywood stuntman Ben Perry interviewed the loser of the bout, Emmanuel Yarborough. Perry mentioned what an impressive specimen Yarborough was and how great it was to have him there, but a shaken and bloody 'Manny' was short for words. Keith Hackney, the man who won the bout and did the unthinkable, bringing down an opponent nearly a foot taller and nearly three times his body weight, was not interviewed on camera.